Healthcare Providers

While on a two-week vacation in France, Scott Power's wife, Nicole, contracted swine flu and had to be hospitalized in Paris. "She becomes deathly ill. It was one of the scariest moments in our relationship," recalled Power, a 45-year-old Los Angeles entrepreneur. In a country where he didn't speak the language, Power was initially at a loss about what he needed to do to help his wife. "Do I call 911?" Like Power, most people aren't sure what to do or what insurance covers when a medical crisis occurs overseas. A recent survey conducted by InsureMyTrip, an online company that compares travel insurance products, found that more than 1 in 4...

It was 50 years ago this week that President Lyndon Johnson flew to Independence, Mo., and, with former President Harry Truman at his side, signed into law the legislation creating Medicare and Medicaid. It was a seminal moment in American political...

The boards of directors of Lawrence + Memorial Healthcare and Yale New Haven Health System have approved an affiliation agreement under which Yale would invest $300 million.The link-up would place the 256-bed Lawrence + Memorial Hospital and Westerly...

The family of a Meriden man who died in 2013 at age 56 is suing Derby nurse practitioner Heather Alfonso and the pain clinic where she worked, alleging that her rampant overprescribing of narcotics contributed to his death.Joseph Torchia's wife and son...

Manny Alvarez is a 23-year-old college student in Florida with the misfortune of having not just a devastating, life-threatening disease, but the wrong one.
The chemotherapy agents showing the most promise against his particular, stunningly rare cancer...

Hartford Hospital Senior Primary Care at Duncaster has received national recognition as a Patient-Centered Medical Home. The practice was certified by The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as an official Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH)...

Here are some stories that have been in the news recently: Yale New Haven Health System is closing two clinics, Hartford HealthCare is laying off more than 400 workers, Bristol Hospital is cutting 43 jobs and Eastern Connecticut Health Network...

A company in Madison is testing an innovative addiction treatment model that approaches severe substance abuse as a chronic disease like diabetes or high blood pressure.
"This is really different and kind of makes sense," Dr. Ellen Edens, a...

The June 17 editorial "Tax Hikes, Medicaid Cuts Put Hurt On Hospitals" [June 17] pointed out how higher taxes and more Medicaid cuts to hospitals would seriously jeopardize their ability to provide care.
But have lawmakers considered...

WATERBURY — A home health care agency has been fined $5,000 and ordered to hire a nurse to monitor patient safety for at least three months due to multiple violations found during unannounced inspections.Dorothy Boyles, owner of Hamlett Health Services of...

I am outraged as are most physicians in Connecticut by the passing of the state budget, which is the worst in state history. The budget places a 6 percent additional tax on the gross revenue of all ambulatory surgery centers in the...

Apparently, baby boomers are changing the face of the health care industry again.
I tried to understand all the ins and outs of what's going on, but the subject matter was so dry I had to stop for an intravenous.
If you are going to investigate Medicare...

The medical director of a pain clinic in Derby was reprimanded and fined $7,500 on Tuesday by the state Medical Examining Board for writing prescriptions for patients based on assessments of their appearance or behavior conducted by unlicensed medical...

Clinics in East Haven and Branford are scheduled to close as Yale-New Haven Health System contends with higher state taxes and lower Medicaid reimbursement rates from the state, hospital executives said Monday.
Yale-New Haven wants to close the two...

Baby boomers appear poised to leave their mark on yet another institution — the insurance industry — as they age into Medicare eligibility.
The roughly 75 million boomers born between 1946 and 1964 are driving demand for Medicare Advantage, a version...

More Connecticut students are seeking help at school-based health clinics, as more students become aware of the services, counselors say.
The problems for which they are seeking help range from bullying to family issues to anxiety.
As the national...

HARTFORD — The Senate unanimously passed a health care bill Monday that could have significant implications for hospitals, insurance companies, doctors and patients.Proponents say it will help control costs and improve transparency for patients. Critics...

Hartford HealthCare announced this week that it was overhauling its IT systems to allow its patients' electronic medical records to be viewed by authorized clinicians at other hospitals in the state, and vice versa, including Yale-New Haven Health System,...

The Courant's follow-up article about telemedicine did a good job of putting forward the advantages of telemedicine in ease of access, convenience and relative economy [May 24, Page 1, "The Doctor Is In: Online Insurer Option Sparks...

Let's say it's a Saturday night and you've developed a rash, or you're on vacation in another state and you've started feeling ill. Depending on your health plan, you might be able to get help by opening a computer or turning on your smartphone.The...